Suffocating to Breathe
by Spnchick09
Summary: And then after those brief seconds pass, you’re back in your body. You feel suffocated, and immediately gasp for air, your eyes shooting open in panic. Missing scene from IMTOD.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Supernatural, nor do I own anything affiliated with it in any way.

**Author's Note: **So I'm a bit late with this missing scene, but I'm blaming it on the fact that I couldn't figure out how I wanted to end it. I've finally figured it out, so enjoy.

* * *

"It's your lucky day, kid."

Your brows furrow in confusion before the yellow-eyed reaper places her hand on the side of your head, and you can feel the life being sucked out of you. For a few brief seconds, your head is filled with pleas to let you live.

_You can't let me die! I have to take care of them! I have to protect them!_

And then after those brief seconds pass, you're back in your body. You feel suffocated, and immediately gasp for air, your eyes shooting open in panic.

"Dean!"

You can hear someone beside you yelling your name, and you recognize that voice instantaneously. But right now, you're so afraid that you're dying. That you've been attacked by something and can't remember it, and the thought that you might be dying right in front of your brother at that moment scares the hell out of you.

Minutes later, you're able to see your brother's face. And the sheer look of happiness on his face calms you in ways that you'll never understand.

"Dean, listen to me," Sam tells you, and you can feel him grab your hand. "You've gotta calm down. You're in the hospital, we were in an accident, and Dad's fine. You're intubated, but the doctors'll take it out, okay?"

You can't even manage a nod, because you're still choking and your body is involuntarily bucking against the sheets as you desperately try to breathe.

"Dean, calm down," he says again, his voice soft.

As much as you want to, you can't.

"Damn it, Dean, stop fighting the tube," you hear him say, and the fear in his voice can't even stop your fight against this godforsaken piece of plastic choking the hell out of you.

You're freaking out, mainly because fragments of the last time you were conscious are entering your head at random, and you can't piece them together. You hear screeching metal, see your dad's yellow eyes, and find yourself reliving the pain of having your heart ripped out of your chest.

Suddenly, a middle-aged black man appears in your line of vision, and he starts telling you that he's going to take this obstructing tube out of your throat.

You've never loved a stranger more.

"When I get to three, I want you to give me a big breath out, alright? Blink once if you understand me."

You do.

"One…two…three."

You blow out as the doctor requested, and a hacking cough begins ripping at your chest when the tube is gone. Sam's hand is immediately back in yours, and you squeeze it as you try to stop the coughs attacking your body.

After about a minute, the coughing ceases and you're left with a pounding headache and a stiff back. Not to mention a freaking dry throat.

But hey - you've definitely had worse.

"Dean," Sam's calm voice invades your thoughts again, and you gratefully allow it to. You feel your bed being raised up, and when you're sitting nearly upright, you can finally see him. "Dean, do you remember anything before the accident?" he asks, the puppy dog eyes in full force.

You've never been happier to see them.

Okay, so you've never really been happy to see them because you always lose to them - but this is an exception.

You nod, lying for Sam's sake. You know it'll come back to you eventually.

And if you tried to tell Sam that all you remember is bits and pieces, he'd probably freak out and think you have amnesia or something stupid like that.

"God," he chokes out, smiling over at you. "I thought I lost you, Dean."

A tear rolls down his cheek, and his chin quivers as he loses it. You can almost see the relief pouring out of him.

"I thought you wouldn't wake up, Dean. God, I've never been more scared in my life," he whispers, and he rests that moppy head of hair against your arm.

You're weak, you realize, but you manage to lift your left arm and rest your hand on top of his head. After a minute, Sam's collected himself and looks up at you with eyes filled with hope and a smile that makes your heart ache.

You manage a smirk, and even though your throat is still dry (what, they against water in this place?), you choke out, "No…chick…moments."

Sam just looks at you, disbelieving, and then laughter starts rumbling out of him. Tears come to his eyes again, but this time, they're there for a completely different reason.

When the laughter has subsided to chuckles, he just looks you in the eyes, smirking, and says, "Jerk."

You grin.

"Bitch."


End file.
